Xin (Ivy) Zhou, the operator of a Surrey breeding and boarding facility, has been charged with animal cruelty after more than 80 animals in distress were seized following a B.C. SPCA investigation.

The SPCA said Thursday that Zhou — the focus of previous SPCA probes — was charged by Crown counsel under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act after 67 cats, 12 dogs and three puppies were seized from her property Feb. 16.

The seized cats were primarily Persians and short-haired exotics, while the dogs included four French bulldogs, a Boston terrier, a Pomeranian with three puppies, a Chihuahua, a poodle, a Rottweiler, a Doberman, a Jack Russell terrier and a Shiba Inu.

“In this most recent case, we executed a warrant because we received information that Zhou was failing to provide adequate care for the animals who were currently in her custody,” said Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the B.C. SPCA.

Most of the animals, which required months of treatment, have since been adopted, although some had to be euthanized, Moriarty said.

“We are extremely pleased these charges have been approved,” said Moriarty. “The fact that we had to seize large numbers of animals from her on more than one occasion demonstrates that education is not enough in this case. If convicted, we would be very supportive of a ban on owning, caring for, breeding or boarding animals.”

If convicted, the maximum sentence for Zhou is a $75,000 fine, two years in jail and a possible lifetime ban on owning animals.

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